Tiscali Showcase - The Suffrajets

The Suffrajets started life in much the same way as many other bands before them. Beginning as the seed of an idea planted by two thirteen year old teenagers Gemma Clarke (drums) and Alex Gillings (rhythm guitar) who were busy fantasising about being in a band when they probably should have been doing what their teachers would have considered to be more important stuff, by the time they'd hit eighteen that dream had become a stark reality. By nineteen they had signed to Sony Records, recorded in Los Angeles with Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge) and played the infamous Whiskey A-Go-Go. Not a bad start you could say.

Two singles soon followed, 'Hold These Eyes' and 'Distinction', both receiving glowing reviews from the press and praise from their ever-increasing fanbase as the band took to the road and undertook a live schedule that would make most grown men break out in a sweat and cry three days in because they were missing their mummies. The video for 'Distinction' soon became a Scuzz TV favourite (voted the most requested video by the end of 2003 and 'top totty' by Scuzz viewers!). A three part Channel Four documentary titled 'We Are The Suffrajets' was made about the band, following them on the road and capturing the passion and enthusiasm the band had for their music, exposing them to a whole new audience.

Legendary Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson also became a firm fan of the band, booking them in for several sessions on his 6 Music radio show. It appeared, however, that everything was going too well as the band suffered a major tourbus accident on the M25 that left them bruised, battered and picking up the pieces. In the interim, Gemma joined Pete Doherty's Babyshambles playing to huge crowds and baying media interest. Gemma has since left Babyshambles and The Suffrajets are once more ready to roll into action.

Founding member Gemma is keen to dismiss the preconceptions that the name may conjure up in a male dominated world 'You hear the name and you think of the whole women's movement, but that's why we changed the spelling. We take from the original Suffragettes only the women's connection, but we don't have all the same women's rights and beliefs. The only connection we have is the fact we are female, that's it. We try and make it quite clear to people, we're not women's libbers, we don't hate men, we're just a band with girls in it who just want to play music.

That's not to say The Suffrajets haven't already come face to face with the non-believers, as Gemma laughs. 'People think, 'girls? - oh no' we get a lot of it, we have people looking at us strangely, perhaps expecting a real girlie - girlie band, but when they've seen us, they'll usually come back up to us and tell us 'actually you're really cool!'.

And it's that philosophy, along with the fact that The Suffrajets, undoubtedly believe in their own future, which clearly gives this quartet the revolutionary outlook to succeed, while summing up The Suffrajets' philosophy. 'If we're going to work hard, we are working to the top' proclaims Gemma, 'We just do what we do, we are what we are!' Let the revolution begin.

The Line-Up: Vicky Kingston: Bass Vicky joined the band after replying to an advert in the NME and jumped at the chance to move to London and play with the band. Prior to that she had sung in Choirs in Chichester Cathedral from the age of 14, began playing double bass at the age of eleven and played in the Chichester Youth Orchestra from the age of twelve onwards. Vicky has actually performed for the Queen herself. Now that IS rock n roll.

Claire Wakeman: Lead Guitar/Vocals Claire grew up in Chestnut and Enfield and studied classical guitar at Trinity College Of Music and came away with a degree. She has toured Europe and most of the country and played Glastonbury with glam-rockers DNA Dolls as well as numerous other bands.

Gemma Clarke: Drums Gemma has spent the last nine crazy months drumming and recording with Pete Doherty and Babyshambles. She has appeared on CDUK, Top Of The Pops, the cover of NME and has shared stages with the likes of Razorlight, The Charlatans, Ronnie Wood, Goldie Lookin Chain and Keane. Surprisingly, her sanity is still intact.

Alex Gillings: Rhythm Guitar/Vocals For the last nine months Alex has been on an experimental moon satellite growing potatoes with Mother Theresa and on returning has forgotten to clean the moon dust off her shoes!